The woman in the suit opened another file.
“Six years ago, Lieutenant Colonel Bennett was assigned to a classified financial intelligence operation. The target was a private defense contracting network suspected of laundering money through civilian shell companies.”
Ryan’s hands went numb.
Defense contracting.
Shell companies.
He knew those words too well.
His family’s company had built its fortune on government contracts. His mother handled the charitable foundation. His late father handled political relationships. Ryan always claimed he only managed real estate holdings.
But Claire had known.
All along, she had known more than she ever said.
“I didn’t do anything,” Ryan said quickly.
The woman in the suit looked at him with unreadable eyes.
“Then you won’t mind answering questions.”
“I want a lawyer.”
“You should.”
Ryan turned back to Bennett.
“This is insane. You’re using your power because of what happened with Claire.”
“No,” Bennett said. “What happened with Claire forced us to reopen a file she had sealed before maternity leave.”
Ryan swallowed.
“Maternity leave?”
“She requested temporary removal from the operation after she discovered she was pregnant.”
The world tilted again.
Claire had stepped away from the investigation because of the baby.
Because of his baby.
“And before she stepped back,” Bennett continued, “she submitted one final memo.”
Ryan’s mouth went dry.
“What memo?”
Bennett’s eyes hardened.
“She wrote that she believed you might not fully understand your family’s criminal network.”
Ryan froze.
“She protected you,” Bennett said. “Even then.”
For a moment, Ryan could not move.
Claire had protected him from her father, from the Army, from the investigation.
And he had left her bleeding on the kitchen floor.
A sound escaped him, half sob and half breath.
“I didn’t know,” he said.
General Bennett’s voice broke for the first time.
“That seems to be the only thing you know how to say.”
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